PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jaakko Jofa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Per Saukkonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Jofa
vs
Saukkonen

188 cm
23
190 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

189 cm
22
190 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jaakko Jofa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Per Saukkonen!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saukkonen looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Saukkonen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Jofa avoids it really well and circles away.
Jofa tries to clinch up but Saukkonen circles away and keeps his distance.
Jofa tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Saukkonen keeps Jofa at a distance using the push kick.

Jofa fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Saukkonen sprawls well initially but Jofa persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Saukkonen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Saukkonen.
Saukkonen is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Saukkonen looking to control.
Jofa throws and elbow that misses. Saukkonen uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Jofa's guard. Nice move by Saukkonen!
Saukkonen trying to control but Jofa is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jofa working for a triangle but Saukkonen defends it easily.
Saukkonen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Jofa swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Saukkonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Jofa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Saukkonen thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jofa throws a right and a left that Saukkonen avoids nicely.
Saukkonen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Jofa moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Jofa tries for a takedown but Saukkonen circles away easily

and Saukkonen counters with a shoot takedown. Jofa fights it but they end up in guard.
Jofa is pulling down on Saukkonen's head to control his posture.
Jofa is breathing heavily.
Jofa keeping moving, preventing Saukkonen from controlling successfully.

Saukkonen thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Saukkonen won't allow Jofa to sweep him here.
Saukkonen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Jofa wants to get back to his feet but Saukkonen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Saukkonen slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jofa has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Jofa keeping moving, preventing Saukkonen from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Jofa changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Saukkonen looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Saukkonen gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Saukkonen pushes Jofa off and gets back to his feet.
Jofa shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Saukkonen sprawls well. Saukkonen wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Jofa gets slowly back to his feet.
Saukkonen lands a slapping body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jofa keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Saukkonen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Jaakko Jofa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Per Saukkonen.

Saukkonen gets the takedown into side control.
Jofa is looking for a sweep.

Saukkonen tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Saukkonen has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jofa is looking for a sweep.
Jofa on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Jofa tries to get out of the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saukkonen trying to control the action but Jofa is working from the bottom.
Saukkonen creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Jofa sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Per Saukkonen dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Jofa lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Saukkonen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Jofa tries to avoid it but Saukkonen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Jofa to the ground. Jofa escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Jofa lands a right hook to the body.

Saukkonen looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Jofa!
Saukkonen working Jofa over with strikes here.
Jofa is trying desperately to improve position.
Jofa tries to hold on but Saukkonen pushes him away.
Saukkonen looking to control and managing it successfully.

Saukkonen working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poor strikes thrown by Saukkonen there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Per Saukkonen has got the better of the ground game so far.

Saukkonen goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Jofa is on top in guard.
Jofa trying to control but Saukkonen is working from the bottom.
Jofa throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Jofa stops Saukkonen from standing up.

Jofa thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Jofa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Jofa thows a big elbow that misses.
Jofa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Saukkonen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Jofa manages to get himself to full guard.
Jofa knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Saukkonen on the ground.
Jofa is looking to sweep but instead, Saukkonen has passed into half guard.
Saukkonen not doing much here.

Saukkonen is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jofa is trying to stand.
Saukkonen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Jofa does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Saukkonen trying to mount his opponent but Jofa defends it.
Saukkonen wants to take a breather but Jofa is having none of it.
Saukkonen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Jofa defending well though.
Jofa throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jofa wants to clinch.
Saukkonen tries to score a power double leg takedown but Jofa sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Saukkonen somewhat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Jofa throws a leg kick
and Saukkonen counters with a series of strikes. Jofa will be more careful next time no doubt.
Jofa misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Saukkonen slips a jab and a cross from Jofa.

Saukkonen decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Saukkonen is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Saukkonen is thwarting Jofa's attempts to control the position.
Jofa is refusing to be controlled, as Saukkonen sits in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Per Saukkonen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Saukkonen closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Jofa did well to prevent Saukkonen getting side control.

Saukkonen decides to stand and escape the position.
Jofa throws a series of punches but Saukkonen avoids them all with ease.
Saukkonen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Jofa pinned against the cage. Jofa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Saukkonen dives in and grabs Jofa's left leg, looking for a takedown. Jofa pushes down on Saukkonen's head and hops out.
Jaakko Jofa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Jofa looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Saukkonen!
Saukkonen tries to hold on but Jofa postures up.
Jofa tries to control but Saukkonen wriggling away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jofa lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saukkonen is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Saukkonen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Saukkonen is squirming around, avoiding Jofa's attempts to control the action.
Jofa is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Jofa landing strikes from the mount and Saukkonen is in trouble!
Saukkonen is looking to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Jofa postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Saukkonen looks a forlorn figure.
You get the feeling that Saukkonen really doesn't like being in this position too much.

Jofa working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Jofa avoids the attempt from Saukkonen to control.
Saukkonen is looking to improve his position but Jofa isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jofa lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Saukkonen hang on?
Jofa lands a heavy elbow.
Saukkonen wants to hold on but Jofa pushes him away.
Jofa landing punches.
Jofa putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Saukkonen slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Saukkonen actively working from the bottom here.
Saukkonen is trying to stand up here but Jofa is controlling him well.
Saukkonen works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saukkonen wants to sweep here but Jofa controlling him for the moment.
Jofa wants to control from the top but Saukkonen keeps moving.
Saukkonen manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Saukkonen trying to control but Jofa is having none of it.
Jaakko Jofa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jaakko Jofa.
Well Saukkonen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Per Saukkonen!